YES! Southeast Michigan has a chance to develop great public transit!
We’ve got some major transit problems:
- Too many people struggle to get to jobs, like James Robertson (right) who walked 21 miles to work because some towns opt-out of bus service.
- Many buses are slow and uncoordinated, taking 2-3 hours to cross counties.
- Seniors feel trapped in their homes when they can no longer safely drive.
- We’ve got the only major airport without convenient public transit!
Even for people who drive, we all depend on someone who depends on transit.
We’ve got an OPPORTUNITY TO SOLVE some of these transit problems!
The Regional Transit Authority of Southeast Michigan (RTA) was created for just this purpose. Coordinating and adding to (NOT replacing) the current transit services of DDOT, SMART, and Ann Arbor’s The Ride, they developed a plan of how they will improve and expand our region’s transit:
The RTA’s Regional Transit Master Plan will address many of region’s transit troubles:
- To enable more people to access jobs,the RTA will expand public transit service into job centers like Livonia, Novi, and Rochester that are currently inaccessible by transit.
- To provide quick seamless transit across the region, the RTA will build the region’s first rapid transit lines, providing fast frequent transit along Woodward, Gratiot, and Michigan Ave.
- To ensure independence and mobility for seniors and people with disabilities, the RTA will coordinate and expand their special door-to-door services (right)
- And the RTA will provide convenient affordable express service to Detroit Metro Airport from all throughout the region.
It will COST relatively little . . .
On the November 8 ballot, voters will be asked to approve a 1.2 mil property tax measure to enable these and other transit improvements.
For the average southeast Michigan household with a $156,000 home ($78,000 taxable value), this would cost or less than $8 per month, or $92 per year. Even with this increase, our region would still spend near the least per capita of any major metropolitan region for transit (see right).
And will provide enormous BENEFITS!
It will enable people to get to jobs and job training, regularly and reliably.
It will enable our region’s seniors to remain independent after they can no longer safely drive, while still getting around and enjoying the things that matter most to them.
And it will help Detroit be a world-class city that can complete for top businesses and workers, as well as conventions and tourists.
Isn’t it about time for the Detroit region to have great regional transit for everyone?!?
Learn more about the RTA’s plan at www.RTAmichigan.org/MasterPlan or call the RTA at 313-402-1020.
Show your support: Sign onto the transit support campaign at www.aCoalitionforTransit.com/TRU.html